Journal

Our classic raw silk tees are designed to embody the OZMA ethos – they're what we talk about when we talk about adoring the perfectly imperfect. Our tees rely on the beautifully organic, nubby soft texture of raw silk, an incredibly special fabric that we love for its character and unique wear... resulting in every tee feeling slightly different and entirely special. The metaphor isn't lost on us: to continue the conversation, we spoke with five inspiring women in the OZMA world about what it means to lean into imperfection, to discover the path of self-acceptance, and to see the beauty in our ever-evolving perspectives.

 

April Valencia is... hard to nearly sum up in a concise bio, but we'll try: A photographer, textile artist, flora-obsessed advocate for the preservation of nature, and accomplished culinary wizard. Creativity and passion ooze out of her... we get the sense that she never approaches anything halfway, she is an all-in liver of life, and feeler of experience. April was also the woman behind the camera for the other four stories in this series, and to conclude the project we asked if she'd flip the lens to document herself and reflect on the notion of imperfection.

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Our classic raw silk tees are designed to embody the OZMA ethos – they're what we talk about when we talk about adoring the perfectly imperfect. Our tees rely on the beautifully organic, nubby soft texture of raw silk, an incredibly special fabric that we love for its character and unique wear... resulting in every tee feeling slightly different and entirely special. The metaphor isn't lost on us: to continue the conversation, we spoke with five inspiring women in the OZMA world about what it means to lean into imperfection, to discover the path of self-acceptance, and to see the beauty in our ever-evolving perspectives.

 

 

Meet jewelry designer Sophie Monet Okulick, whose eponymous line is a reflection of a life spent in the studio of her father, sculptor John Okulick. Using sustainable materials and weaving in references from natural landscapes and mid-century design her pieces contextualize familar materials in wholly unexpected ways.

 

 

Photos by April Valencia

 

 

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Our classic raw silk tees are designed to embody the OZMA ethos – they're what we talk about when we talk about adoring the perfectly imperfect. Our tees rely on the beautifully organic, nubby soft texture of raw silk, an incredibly special fabric that we love for its character and unique wear... resulting in every tee feeling slightly different and entirely special. The metaphor isn't lost on us: to continue the conversation, we spoke with five inspiring women in the OZMA world about what it means to lean into imperfection, to discover the path of self-acceptance, and to see the beauty in our ever-evolving perspectives.

 

 

Today we're in conversation with Valerie Quant, co-owner and do-designer of LoQ, a women's contemporary footwear and handbag company based in LA, a business she started four years ago with partner Keren Longkumer, who she met in footwear school. Today she lives between the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles and frequent visits to Spain, where LoQ is produced. Below, a conversation on long term relationships, living on a whim, and finding harmony in the unconventional.

 

 

Photos by April Valencia

 

 

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The beloved classic T-shirt is our most worn, revisited, and unifying staple. From scavenging thrift stores across the country to discovering the perfect threadbare 80s version in our mom's closet, the sentiment remains unchanged. Meaning... there is no wrong way to re-purpose the tee. No rules, just a subtle sort of rebellion – a statement that says simply, this is who I am, underneath it all...

 

The silhouette originally evolved from undergarments worn in the 19th century by industry workers, which is perhaps why the most loved tees are the comfortable ones, constructed of natural, breathable, and pliable materials like linen, silk, and cotton. (The common "crew neck" style comes from the sea crew that managed and operated the ship.)

 

What we appreciate most is how non-conforming, approachable, and powerful it is to dress without hindrance. Our signature OZMA silk tees represent the ability to unmask and redefine the wardrobe, revealing our fullest expression of ourselves. 

 

Below, a brief overview of women whose individual interpretation of the cotton crew inspires our own T-shirt loving ethos...

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Our classic raw silk tees are designed to embody the OZMA ethos – they're what we talk about when we talk about adoring the perfectly imperfect. Our tees rely on the beautifully organic, nubby soft texture of raw silk, an incredibly special fabric that we love for its character and unique wear... resulting in every tee feeling slightly different and entirely special. The metaphor isn't lost on us: to continue the conversation, we spoke with five inspiring women in the OZMA world about what it means to lean into imperfection, to discover the path of self-acceptance, and to see the beauty in our ever-evolving perspectives.

 

Jewelry designer + sculptor Kelci Potter's beautifully organic work is a study in form and nuanced shape, expressed in hand-molded beeswax and recycled gold. Below, a conversation on what it means to step into the self to seek out the 'juice' of life, and to live simultaneously with the meaningful and the messy. 

 

Photos by April Valencia

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Our classic raw silk tees are designed to embody the OZMA ethos – they're what we talk about when we talk about adoring the perfectly imperfect. Our tees rely on the beautifully organic, nubby soft texture of raw silk, an incredibly special fabric that we love for its character and unique wear... resulting in every tee feeling slightly different and entirely special. The metaphor isn't lost on us: to continue the conversation, we spoke with five inspiring women in the OZMA world about what it means to lean into imperfection, to discover the path of self-acceptance, and to see the beauty in our ever-evolving perspectives.

 

To start the series, we visited Stephanie Cleary, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Morrow Soft Goods, a home textile company specializing in natural fibers and earthy color tones (something we obviously love!) Below, a conversation on drawing inspiration from life's curveballs, thinking less linearly, and retreating to simplicity.

 

Photos by April Valencia

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The inspiring, entrepreneurial Vancouver-based Adele Tetangco concludes our women in bandana series this month — documenting herself while in Mexico City with her family this summer. You may know Adele as the founder of Garmentory, but more recently her focus has been on the new micro trade show Reassembled Show, which brings hard-to-find labels to buyers in real life. She’s also the brain and creative force as co-creator of fellow womenswear label Tigre et Tigre! We’re so honored to share Adele’s POV here…

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For the next installment in our month of traveling women in bandanas, we met NY designer and artist Caroline Ventura amid a trip to Sag Harbor. Calm moments at the shore and in the garden in between preparing for her first photo exhibit, "YOU CAN GO THERE,” which was held this summer at Chaos Theory Gallery in Sag Harbor, NY. We resonate deeply with the concept — present moments filtered through a lens of nostalgia, intended to “evoke feelings from decades past." . . . Read More

Lucy Laucht is a travel, fashion and lifestyle photographer based between New York and the UK. A sense of story weaves throughout Lucy's work and her transportive photographs shed light on the essence of the destinations she visits—and the people who live within them. 

 

Lucy captured these moments amid a team trip for her hat line Tio y Tia — on board a friend’s beautiful 1968 Hinckley Pilot 35 boat around the Long Island Sound.

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Based in Joshua Tree but always on the go, Wonder Valley co-founder Alison Carroll is our kind of traveler: moving from one place to the next with ease, openness, and a sense of adventure. We caught her during a summer visit to Santa Fe, where she is a creative partner in the newly restored El Rey Court hotel. Here, Alison puts her spin on our essential bandana.

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Introducing: The Bandana Diaries

 

This summer, we asked five inspiring women to document how they travel with their OZMA bandana… Every week we will be sharing the story of a new woman.

 

We’re excited to begin the series with stylist Kim Ficaro. Always on the go, Kim seems to be continually in a new, inspiring place. A master at creating and discovering beauty wherever she is, Kim documented moments both near to home and afar, at home in California and while on a trip to the Alps for a photoshoot.

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A deep dive on our most versatile, beloved OZMA accessory…

 

The word “bandana” finds roots in bāṅdhnū, the Hindi word meaning “to tie.” The originally small, woven pieces of fabric were first printed by way of traditional block-printing techniques, and infused with natural dyes indigenous to the plants of South Asia and the Middle East (circa late 17th century).

 

While the lightweight durability of the scarf treads a history among the working class and the Hollywood Western, the personal accessory really emerges as an object of empowerment and expression in the 1940s. With her hair tied back cleanly by a polka-dot red bandana, an image of Rosie the Riveter encouraging women on the home front during WWII became one of the most iconic American images, an homage to unapologetic self-determination.

 

From artful origins to accessories for everyday utility, the banana ultimately represents an approach to form. Below, we revisit a few historic interpretations from women whose individual style inspires... 

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We’re big believers in the power of travel — there’s nothing like being in a new place to give you an immediate plunge of inspiration and a reframing of perspective.

 

In the spirit of the quick trip… last month OZMA friends Hayley Coupon + Leigh Patterson traveled together to Mexico City for a source of early summer inspiration. Below are their top picks for what to squeeze into a long weekend itinerary…and their suggestions for which OZMA pieces to take along as well (carry-on only, of course!)

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Ashley Ragovin is the kind of friend you want in your corner. She has a way of seeing to the core, through the haziness and formalities and nonsense. It’s no accident that All Time—the neighborhood cafe she co-owns in Los Feliz—feels effortlessly perfect, the ideal ratio of no-frills simplicity meets utter attention to quality meets no-rush, linger-all-afternoon-type of laid back. Ashley is both relentlessly honest and relentlessly true blue, the friend who will in the same breath serve you tough love, an earnestly rare compliment, and the perfect glass of Sicilian wine that you didn’t know you wanted or needed but somehow, of course, Ashley discovered while traveling through remote Italy, showing up and knocking on the door of an off-grid, old world winery, and befriending everyone there by just rolling up her sleeves and marching out to work in the vineyards for two weeks. That’s just how she does it, folks. We visited her at home to sit, drink wine, and talk. Below, a conversation on embracing our stripped-down selves; the specific growth that comes from loss; what it means to define (and redefine) who we are not just what we do.

 

 

Interview by Leigh Patterson, Photos by Helen Nishi   

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We’re so excited to share an original OZMA short, featuring musician Julie Byrne and her song “Sleepwalker.” Shot on 16mm film in a secret spot in Topanga Canyon, we explored a narrative where the ethos of OZMA overlaps with Julie’s own story — daydreams and reflections on the path to California, the search for freedom and ease, the continual rediscovery of ourselves. A visual escape into a nature-filled, ethereal dreamscape. We hope you enjoy!

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OZMA friend Tara Mayer is captured here in a summer editorial by Maui-based photographer Chanelle Blackburn. Tara wears the Grace Slip Skirt and Boy Tank.

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“Palate and palette,” Alaina Sullivan notes on her Instagram page, and it seems like a tidy summary of how the NY-based artist and designer has inspired us from afar, both in her artwork, in visual designs for publications like Bon Appetit (where she was a Senior Designer), and in the creatively no-fuss recipes and meals she shares on Instagram, pairing unexpected combinations of ingredients, texture, and color like…well, like the artist she is.

 

We visited with Alaina in her studio for a conversation on presence, (im)perfection, and how an unforeseen accident last year forced her to see the world (and her role in it) anew. 

 

Photos by Emily Hlavac Green

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While she was amid a short but sweet visit to LA, we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with our friend Kendra Smoot. An incredibly talented Bay Area stylist, Kendra is a master of vintage shopping and an incredibly thoughtful soul who embodies what it means to live with intention and care .

 

 

Photography by Sophia Scrank 

 

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A scroll through Leah Bradley’s Instagram and you’re instantly transported to an afternoon on the coast — salty hair, barefoot kids, sandy feet, days outdoors. 

 

Photography by Arika McKeever

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Earlier this spring we visited the studio of Elise McLauchlan, a talented woodturner and furniture designer living in Vancouver by way of London. With a background in fashion and creating elaborate prop-driven window displays for clothing brands, Elise moved to Canada three years ago to set up her own studio where she creates her line of beautiful, sculptural, and useful hand-turned bowls, vessels, and home objects. Below we spoke with her about her current state of mind —her drive to create, how she dedicates time to chasing new ideas, and how she regards the ever-evolving practice of not being so damn hard on yourself.

 

Photos by Gillian Stevens 

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“I did have an ‘A-HA’ moment when I committed to switching careers, but in truth it was precipitated by a yearlong soul search…The decision to switch careers was not made lightly but it did happen really quickly once I recognized that design was the only thing that made me happy to get out of bed everyday” . . . Read More

"I work best when I allow for the research/intellect and intuition/emotional idiosyncrasies to marry and marinate together." . . . Read More

Photographer Chanelle Blackburn captures OZMA friend and muse Tara Mayer reconnecting with her roots at dawn on the North Shore of Maui.  . . . Read More

Lisa Przystup needs to be comfortable. As a writer, former-florist, and self-described "corporate desk jockey," she is always moving about, like an abstract painting, yet carefully arranges moments of stillness when and where she can. She is a bouquet of creative endeavors and one of OZMA's stylish muses. . . . Read More

Have you ever found yourself in a vintage store, rummaging through that bewitching giant basket of scarves? I always found myself digging through those endless piles, falling head-over-heels for the different interpretations. That’s how my love story with bandanas began, though the story of these scarves dates back much further than my vintage store rendezvous.  . . . Read More

Inspired by the evocative verses of the Estonian poet Aleksis Rannit, we are pleased to share with you this special Autumn Editorial, shot by Gillian Stevens, featuring OZMA friend and muse Tara Mayer.  . . . Read More

Inspiring artist and mother to be. We had the pleasure of visiting with Natasha before her birth while digging into what makes her such a creative and unique individual. . . . Read More

The magnetic personality behind Window of Imagination, a sensory story of minimalist ease and jaw dropping visuals. She has an acute eye for the perfect balance of art and silhouette and, better yet carries an adorable wit about her. . . . Read More

To describe her as dynamic would be an understatement. This Aussie has dabbled in just about every career, taken chances most of us aren’t bold enough to take, and is an inspiring entrepreneur and advocate for sustainable fashion. . . . Read More

Academic and adventurer, mother and muse. Tara’s life blends beauty, creativity, and intellectualism in a way that defies simple categories. We travelled up the coast toward the wilds of British Columbia and into Vancouver, for a conversation with this accomplished historian and friend of OZMA. . . . Read More

Ashley Turner is an LA based photographer who has focused much of her work towards socially conscious brands who partner with global artisans around the world to promote long term job sustainability within developing countries. She has spent a lot of her adulthood splitting time between East Africa, and many other remote areas of the world where a lot of her inspiration derives from. When combined with her small town Americana roots, her work has the ability to evoke honest spirit and emotion. . . . Read More